5 Reasons Why Honesty Makes You Happy

True self is our best self - It is a spiritual truth that true happiness requires honest self-reflection. The more honest you are with yourself, the greater happiness you will experience. Being truthful brings about an inner ease and happiness flourishes when as John O’Donohue writes “we feel at home in our life.”

What is the most truthful thing you’ve said today?
What have you lied about?
Which have you done more of? And how do you feel as a result?

In yogic terms truth, known as Satya, can be defined on three levels: (1) that we speak the truth about what we think, (2) what we feel and (3) what we do. When we feel out of alignment it is usually where there is a conflict between what we think and what we feel. When we aren’t honest we feel unsteady, anxious, and uprooted - everything that happiness is not.

In the Yoga Sutras Chapter 2.36 it is presented that if we are “dedicated to the truth and integrity, our thoughts, words and actions gain the power to manifest." (Translation Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi).

The power of truth influences the power of happiness in amazing ways. Here are 5 examples.

Truth is peaceful, in fact one of its most beautiful qualities is that it is very grounding.

The truth reveals freedom, there is something that is uncovered, and you live with having nothing to hide.

Truth transforms, it begins to reveal the beauty of your best intentions and you shift towards making the changes you need to live an inspired life!

Truth awakens us to our own best courage to be honest and forthcoming. Dag Hammarskjold puts it like this, “Life only demands the strength you posses, Only one feat is possible - not to have run away.”

The truth makes it is easier to live life being yourself. Leo Buscaglia says, “The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position.” I often say in class the hardest pose we do is being ourselves. The Bhagavad Gita puts it like this, "Yoga is the practice of tolerating the consequences of being yourself."

The sooner we are courageous enough to be our True Selves then this inherently is being our Best Selves. And the more we are ourselves the greater happiness we will experience. Simply put, the formula is simple: Honesty Makes Us Happy. Love yourself, love your day, love your life! Silvia

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